‘You have to see it to believe it’: Kovac thrilled by Inacio’s debut | OneFootball

Suddenly, everything happened very quickly. In the 75th minute of the classic match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich, it was Samuele Inácio's moment. When Maximilian Beier (23) left the field, the 17-year-old Italo-Brazilian stepped onto the pitch of the Westfalenstadion.

The dramatic 2:3 defeat against the league leader could not be prevented even by the debutant. However, Inácio is unlikely to ever forget February 28, 2026, in his life. "This is truly a crazy moment - the best in my life," quotes Ruhr24 the offensive player.

The youngster, who transferred from Atalanta Bergamo to Dortmund in the summer of 2024, had already been on the bench for the pros five times before. Against the record champion, his coach Niko Kovac (54) spoke the decisive words: "Samu, be ready!" Inácio followed his coach's call to action. "I changed and was immediately ready," was his response.

In the current season, the Italian U18 international rotated between the U23, the U19, and the team from the UEFA Youth League. Across all competitions and teams, he has 22 appearances, in which Inácio scored nine goals and assisted two more. However, the difference to his debut with the pros is not significant, Inácio believes. "Once I stepped onto the pitch, it felt completely normal," reports the son of former Serie A professional Piá (43), who played 58 times in Italy's top league for Atalanta Bergamo, Catania, and Napoli.

"A great footballer"

"Samuele is 17 years young and will certainly do well," praises Kovac according to kicker the top talent. He is "satisfied" with Inácio's first professional appearance, adds the BVB coach. Even though the opponent was none other than league leader Bayern Munich. "You have to imagine that. Not bad at all!" Kovac acknowledges.

Photo: IMAGO

According to official statistics, the offensive jewel had eleven ball contacts. He played five passes, two of which were successful. He attempted a dribble once, which he also won. "A great footballer," Kovac raves about the junior player. "If he stays healthy, he will have a really great career," the Berlin-born coach makes an optimistic prediction. "At 17, I see many things that a very good player will have in the future."

Kovac has high expectations for Inácio. The young Italian will not only be "the future of this club but also of Italian football in the national team."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.